For one evening only, British alternative rock band, alt-J performed at the O2 Arena in London, filling the entire space both literally and with their musical presence. The performance was stellar, connecting with me on a level far more complex and metaphysical than just a pair of ears enjoying a band in a concert hall for 20,000 people. alt-J's music had me longing for hours afterwards to return to the sanctuary of their sound as each note was played and each word was sung with a haunting and yet comforting edge.
The show began with the first support act, Gengahr. Being the first supporting act of a successful and popular band is always difficult but Gengahr fell disastrously flat in the expanse of the arena. Their instrumentals were solid and yet the vocals were completely lost in ambiguity with the lyrics being discernible and the notes rarely hit. Perhaps they would have been more successful within a more intimate venue but their performance was poor and undoubtedly overshadowed by the second support: Wolf Alice. I listened up on a little bit of their music before arriving but was still pleasantly surprised by their performance. Their sound was thoroughly pleasing, comparable to The xx meets Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Overall, it was a successful opening for one of the most enchanting evenings I have ever experienced.
